Thrift Store Shopping for Halloween Costumes

Halloween! It’s October! Which means if you haven’t yet figured out your Halloween costume, it’s time to get on that. Seriously, it’s only a couple weeks away. Don’t panic. I can help.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays.  My mother was a seamstress, so growing up she always made my sister’s and my costumes from scratch. We got to watch our fantasies come alive piece by piece, and the results were always much better quality than the polyester costumes other kids had to pick off of racks at the store. The love of homemade costumes has left me with a deep-seated resentment for store-bought costumes: they look cheap, they are expensive, and they are rarely creative.

I'd never be caught dead in a costume like these.

Unfortunately, I do not know how to sew like my mother. Sure, I can hand stitch, fix a hem or a button, but I have nowhere near the capabilities of the woman who raised me. But you still won’t see me picking my Halloween costume off a rack. At least not the party store rack.

The thrift store is your destination for unique costumes that have that homemade and authentic look at a cost you can afford.

Deciding what you want to be is the first step. For me, this is always the hardest. Should my costume be Funny? Punny? Topical? Sexy? Political? Cute? Scary? Classic? The possibilities are endless. Usually my requirements are: clever, recognizable, and something I can realistically make and pull off. I don’t want to be a Nurse Sexy like half the women at the party, but I also don’t want to spend the entire night explaining what my costume is. And, I want it to look good and well made.


Use the Thrift Store as a Source of Inspiration
Head to the thrift store for inspiration. Sift through racks of shirts, dresses, and shoes hoping to be inspired by an item.  Usually something will give you an idea. Maybe a character on an old tee shirt reminds you of a cartoon from childhood.  Maybe a gold Lamé dress reminds you of an Oscar trophy. Or maybe that hideous sweater reminds you of Bill Cosby. Chances are, just getting out and digging will open up your creativity. If you find something that works as a costume on that first trip, great! Buy it!  But just finding inspiration is a success.  

Use the thrift store to Narrow Down the Options
Hopefully by now you’ve come up with a few ideas. Make a list of all the items you would need to make each of those costumes. Can you reasonably find all of the items before Halloween? Thrift stores have pretty much everything, but you need time to look. If any pieces of the costume need to be sewn or constructed, do you have the time and skills to do it?

Go to the thrift store.  Look around. Try to find the pieces for all the costumes on your list. Obviously you can go back next week or try a different thrift shop if that particular store doesn’t have exactly what you need, but you should be able to find something relatively close.  Pick the costume that you have the greatest success finding the pieces for.

Never Have to Sew Anything from Scratch
If you know how to hand stitch, anything at a thrift store is alterable.  If you’re only spending $2-15 on a garment, you shouldn’t be afraid to take some scissors to it and make it your own. Plus, since you’re only wearing it that one night, you can use quick fix shortcuts like iron on hem tape or fabric glue.

Basic adjustments like shortening a hem are easy. But you can think even more creatively! Looking for a snake to go with that Eve costume? Get a green long sleeve shirt, cut off the arms, sew them together and stuff them! Long black circle skirts can become a cape just by slicing up one of the sides.

Some Thrift Stores Have Halloween Sections
Thrift Stores know that people use them for Halloween costumes and some have stepped up their game by offering traditional party store costumes and accessories. Chances are, there are certain items for your costume you will not be able to find second hand (Harry Potter glasses? Wigs?) The Savers near me has a Halloween section with wigs, face paint, accessories, and costumes, and they sell them at a fraction of the price of traditional party stores.

And because I'm sure you're all wondering....
My Halloween Costume: Daria Morgendorffer from Daria

I already owned the skirt and the boots.

I went to Savers and got:

Orange T-shirt (second hand): $1.99

Green Jacket (second hand): $7.99

Wig (new from Halloween section): $6.99

All I still need to get are the glasses!

Have you ever made a costume from thrift store finds? I’d love to hear your story! Share it in the comments section. Have a Happy Halloween!